Although I mostly download music nowadays and don't really care what is officially released or not, the recent news on the Phantasy Star 1 - 4 soundtrack collection reminded me that I still have an obsessed VGM collector trapped somewhere deep inside, struggling to get to the surface. Just the fact that Phantasy Star IV's phenomenal soundtrack finally gets an official release 15 years after the game's release is enough to create a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I always wondered why such a successful and popular game never got a soundtrack release, especially considered the fact that the first three games in the series did (well, sort of... ).

So, this got me thinking, what other great game soundtracks are still out there, unreleased? Obviously an easy question for the seasoned VGM fan: far too many to mention. But if we're still to try to answer it, we can ask which are the *very best* unreleased soundtracks. The point of the poll is to think of the top 3/5/whatever unreleased soundtracks you'd like to see released officially.

Personally, the first that comes to mind is Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver. Soul Reaver was one of the best classic 3D adventure games from the PS1 era, and had a soundtrack by Kurt Harland (from the US synthpop-band Information Society). The soundtrack was an awesome mix of atmospheric ambient and bombastic orchestral that fit the game like a glove and truly created a unique atmosphere: dark and decaying, and epic and grand at the same time (reminded me a lot of dark ambient/industrial act In Slaughter Natives, actually). Especially the main theme "Ozar Midrashim" is noteworthy, surely one of the best tracks ever featured in a game. There were three tracks released on the rare Soul Reaver 2 Promotional Soundtrack, but that's hardly more than a little taste. The rest of the Kain series had good music too, especially the first Blood Omen soundtrack (which was done by Steve Henifin of Eternal Darkness fame, and very much has the same feel as the ED OST), but, except for the SR2 Promo CD, none of it is officially released. A shame, that is!

My next pick would have to be Sota Fujimori's soundtrack to Neo Contra for the PS2. When one ponders the fact that most Konami soundtracks get releases, one has to wonder what the f--- was wrong with the confused individual who decided that Neo Contra was one of the few games that somehow didn't deserve this honour. It isn't as powerfully awesome as the Shin Contra OST (due to the absence of Akira Yamaoka's guitar), but for me it's a close second in the series. IMO the best trance VGM soundtrack ever - as good as Wangan Midnight 2 & 3 and ESPGaluda 1 & 2 are, this totally levels them in both hardcore intensity and melodic power. Both this soundtrack and Mr. Fujimori needs more respect.

Another series sadly neglected is Natsume's KikiKaiKai (known as "Pocky And Rocky" in the West). These super-cute shoot-em-ups based on Japanese mythology were great, not least in the audio department. The music mixed traditional Japanese instruments/harmonies with infectiously catchy old-school VGM melodies. The SNES games were the best, and really should have had their soundtracks released. My favourite is the first one for the SNES (composed by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki), and the second is great as well (composed by Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, Kinuyo Yamashita, Haruo Ohashi & A. Yamao). That these beauties remain unreleased is a crime, but thankfully the SPC soundtracks can be downloaded here and here. Do yourself a huge favour and check out the first one. It's better than Okami, I swear.

Other than these obvious ones, it'd be really cool to see some sort of compilation of Sunsoft's classical NES soundtracks (Journey To Silius, Batman, Gimmick, etc.), and the Mega Drive/Genesis Sonic The Hedgehog soundtracks.

So, how about yours?

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 1-3 / & KNUCKLES / 3D BLAST BOX SET

^ That needs a release above anything else that gets listed in this thread.  Sure there are VGMs, GYMs, and console recordings floating around but I want a true release, damn it!

Anyway..

I'll second Neo Contra.  Fujimori did a fine job with that one and there's definitely enough new music there to fill up a CD or two.  This is one of the games I actually did my own rip for.  VATLVA would be another choice for me.  For those who don't know, it's a Saturn game with music by Yuzo Koshiro (maybe you've heard of him?) and Motohiro Kawashima of Streets of Rage 2 and 3 fame.  Upbeat, funky, just fun music on this one.  If you're a fan or Koshiro at all I highly recommend you check out the redbook audio.  Light Crusader, quite possibly my favorite non-Sonic Genesis soundtrack, definitely deserves an official soundtrack release.  LC is pretty much the only VGM I like from composer Aki Hata but man do I like it a lot.  This is another game I did my own console recording for and the music would definitely fit snuggly on one disc, looped twice even!  Angelo Badalamenti tried his hand at game music for Quantic Dream's epic Indigo Prophecy (known as Fahrenheit in Japan and Europe).  Considering that this game is composed by a famous movie/TV composer and the music just plain owns in game, I'm really surprised this never got an official soundtrack.  I'd buy two copies.  I love cinematic music as it is but when it's part of an awesome movie-like game and it's composed by the same dude who did Twin Peaks, you really can't go wrong.

Good thread Daniel K!

-Mike

Illusion of Gaia would be on the top of my list, it's been a really long time since i've played games so i don't really remember which ones have soundtracks or not

Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos

- I believe there is an arrange for this but no full-fledged original soundtrack.

Tomb Raider

- there is redbook audio on the game disc however.

Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2

- three has a soundtrack but make a freakin box for it already! Everybody's other favorite "blue boy" has gotten his dues!

..need.. Sin & Punishment OST (Treasure/N64).

Give me Ikaruga's soundtrack and all will be right with the world. I love the music in that game to death.

I second Soul Reaver. Also, Smash Bros. Melee, since we only got Smashing Live.

Hrmm . . . I really wanted a Septerra Core OST for the longest time, too. Apparently done by the same dude who did Halo series OST's. I loved that game.

There are a whole slew of Nintendo-published games that should have had CD releases but never did.  Starfox Adventures, the Mario & Luigi RPGs, any Zelda game since Wind Waker, and most importantly SMASH BROS. MELEE.  I can't wait to not get a soundtrack to Brawl thanks to Nintendo being uninterested in making money from us(?).

You sir, just won the thread.

I would kill for a proper CD release of the Sunsoft's NES collection.  Holy S*** would that rock my ipod.

The Sonic the Hedgehog collection just goes without saying.

I'd like to see the Capcom/Disney NES games released properly as well.  (This should come as a surprise to NO ONE).  Ducktales, Chip 'n Dale, Darkwing Duck, all of them.  'Course, they could just throw in Little Nemo the Dream Master and I'd be eternally happy. 

If Treasure put out a box collection of all their off-the-wall games, like Dynamite Headdy, Mischief Makers, Bangai-O, you know the likes, that would be most awesome as well.

A Quintet anthology would probably get me more excited than I was for Chrono Cross.  Good choice jb.

There's also the slight problem that any attempt at a complete Brawl soundtrack would have to be about 32 discs long and come packaged in a special commemorative filing cabinet.

Lords of Thunder - I got it on the Wii VC this week.  After a few quick plays, I was reminded how much I love its soundtrack.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - I never liked the game; I prefer keeping the fight closer to the ground without tons of crazy air combos.  But that jazzy soundtrack is still one of my favorites.  No, it doesn't really 'fit' most of the stages in the game.  But it stands very well on its own.

Rockman & Forte - Tengu Man!  More Capcom jazz greatness, please.

True that on Neo Contra. At least they made the game easy enough to unlock the music box. If it had Shattered Soldier's difficulty level I'd be a lot more bitter.

Rockman EXE Transmission is right up there with Neo Contra on my list. Although I don't listen to the MP3 rip I downloaded as much as I used to I'd buy an official OST in a heartbeat.

A couple of T's Music soundtracks I can only dream of are GunGriffon Blaze and Super Magnetic Neo. Hey, GoldfishX, did you ever check out GGB? What did you think of it?

Others of equal desire to me:

R: Racing Evolution
Ridge Racer 6
Thunderforce 2
Otogi 1 & 2
U: Underwater Unit (Sub Rebellion)
Evergrace 2 (Forever Kingdom)
Tekki (Steel Battalion)

-Mario & Luigi GBA/DS titles
-Zelda GB/GBC/GBA/DS/NGC/Wii titles
-GB/GBC Rockman games plus Rockman EXE Transmission, Tron ni Kobun, and Rockman Dash 2
-Paper Mario 2 and Super Paper Mario
-F-Zero GBA games
-Children of Mana (itunes doesn't count)
-Super Smash Bros. Cube/Wii
-Ouendan titles
-Rhythm Tengoku
-Super Mario Sunshine
-Castlevania GB #3
-Chibi Robo
-Ikaruga
-Mario Party titles (only #3 had an OST)
-GoldenEye 007
-Tetrisphere
-Tetris Attack
-Mario Kart titles
-Uniracers

...all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there's plenty more

Unreleased soundtracks I love (Some do contain redbook audio, thank goodness)

Sparkster (SNES)
Alien Trilogy (Sega Saturn/PSX)<----AWESOME! AWESOME! YAY, for redbook!  I have the Sega Saturn ver. btw...hehe
Jet Moto (PSX)
Jet Moto 2 (PSX)
Twisted Metal 2 (PSX)
Critical Depth (PSX)
Disruptor (PSX)<----Badass, no red book

ALL of these deserve releases, imo!!! With remastered tracks and maybe some arranges!! Love'em all none the less.

If you're referring to Castlevania Legends, please tell me you're joking. The poll was about great unreleased soundtracks, not picks that are bottom-of-the-barrel for their respective series. If anything, an official CL OST release would only serve to make the series look bad.

Most of what I'd like to see has already been mentioned here, but I would like to share my love for the Megadrive Sonic the Hedgehog music as well.
And Tomb Raider 1 and 2.

And:

You f*cking rule

Also these SNES games NEED an OST release NOW:
- Demon's Crest
- PLOK! (you all get -10 points for not having mentioned this one so far)
- Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt
- Sparkster
- Super Adventure Island
- Turtles in Time
- Turtles Tournament Fighters

CV Legends isn't the best, but it's not horrid. It has a nice little waltz in level 2 or 3 at least.

-Joshua

Aside from what's already been listed, I'd kill for a complete Mother 2 soundtrack.  Kirby's Dream Course would be nice, too!

How did I forget about Goldeneye? Put that on my list!

You mean this?

Anyway, there are way too many games for me to think of right now that deserve soundtrack releases.

Of course, I'll have to list the Kirby series in general as being pretty overlooked in this regard. There are only 3 entries that had actual official releases: Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's Star Stacker (which was more of an "enhanced" version, instead of the actual in-game audio), and Kirby 64 (which was missing several tracks). Then there were a few promotional items, like that 7-track Air Ride CD, the Very Best of Kirby compilation, and a Kirby & the Amazing Mirror CD (which does seem pretty complete).
Other than that, nothing. The Dream Land trilogy, Super Star, Dream Course, Block Ball, Air Ride, Canvas Curse, Squeak Squad, etc. Plenty of great music that never got a true soundtrack release.

QFT.

If any of these got proper releases I'd be all over them.

.

Ouch. Just because you started the poll that doesn't mean you should nit-pick someone's response if you don't agree with it. CV Legends wasn't that bad, and I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of official release, especially since it's the only CV (that I can think of at least) that didn't make it to disc.

My list:

- Goldeneye 007
- Metroid Prime 2
- Metroid Prime 3
- Metroid Zero Mission
- Neo Contra
- R: Racing Evolution
- Ratchet & Clank
- Sly Cooper (series)
- Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage & Year of the Dragon
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Super Speed Racing

I don't think Castlvenia: Dracula X/Vampire's Kiss from the SFC made it to disc - at most is the small medley made up of two tracks on the Dracula Music Collection/Symphony of the Night Music Sampler. I'm not sure but is the music far removed from Rondo of Blood on the PC engline/PSP as far the tracks used in the game?

As for GB Castlevania music the soundtrack for Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge is great even if the sharp synth can be somwhat annoying.

Well, I did write "But if we're still to try to answer it, we can ask which are the *very best* unreleased soundtracks. The point of the poll is to think of the top 3/5/whatever unreleased soundtracks you'd like to see released officially" in the poll description. I'm not necessarily saying Castlevania Legends had a 100% bad soundtrack, but I wonder if there's even one person out there that would call it one of the "very best" unreleased soundtracks, or put it in the top 3 or 5 or even 10 most wanted list. I suspect XLord007 included it mostly for completist reasons. VGM is a drug after all, and this is Junkie Central.

However, if it so happens that he does enjoy the CVL score and would listen to an officially released CD of it often, my apologies!

Honestly, have you heard it? I can imagine it possibly being included as a bonus at the end of 2-disc compilation after other more prominent CV soundtracks, but as a stand-alone release...? The series' standard of quality would have to have gotten pretty pissy if that were to happen.

Legacy of Darkness is missing as well. As well as Vampire Killer, the NES versions of CV 2 & 3, the SNES Dracula X, etc..

If "the point of the poll is to think of the top 3/5/whatever unreleased soundtracks you'd like to see released officially", then I think XLord made his point by saying that CV Legends falls into this category for him. You just don't think it's one of the "very best" and felt the need to criticize his choice. For lack of better words, who gives a shit? Everyone's going to have their own picks; I don't agree with some of the mentioned games thus far but I'm not going to jump on anyone's backs about them.

And, yes, I've "honestly" heard the music and have played the game. While I wouldn't spend $25 on it, it would be nice to have it on "some sort of official release".

One that hasn't been mentioned:

-Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Dreamcast) -- the last and the best

Then you have stuff like this:

-Tenchi Sozou ~ Creative Soundtracks (like 60% of the music missing, shiiiit)

I would also like to point out the incompleteness of the following albums:

-Super Metroid ~ Sound in Action (tracks shortened)
-Shin Contra (come on, Battle Train needs 4 minutes!)

You sure told me!

Why? If you're not gonna pay for it, why would you like to see it released? Just for the heck of having just a little more unused shiny plastic lying around in storerooms and in the back of shelves somewhere? We all know that would be the fate of that CD, were it ever to be produced.

Goddamn, man. You gotta chill out. Do you jump all over people in real life every time they try to say something to you in actual conversations? Just let it go.

I'm just curious, and I like to play the part of the Socratic gadfly around here.

Especially when it comes to VGM, there are so many presuppositions and aspects other than the music itself that play their part in why people buy a soundtrack - nostalgia, packaging, completeness, if it's an "official product", etc. These factors interest me, and I like to discuss them. Seems like I'm the only one, though. Sorry to the original poster for derailing the thread like this!

This is read: If it's something I don't like, nobody else deserves to have the opportunity to buy it.

No, it isn't. It's rather read: if you don't plan on paying for it yourself, it is pretty pointless to wish for it to be produced in the first place, especially when we're talking about such niche goods as VGM albums. The reason I commented on XLord007's post was that I think there's really no one around that would enjoy a possible CVL OST for it's music as much as for the sake of it "being there", making the series "complete". The main reason people want stuff like this to be produced is so that they'll be able to gobble it up, feel safe in the knowledge that they have every soundtrack in the series on "officially" produced discs (like it's a badge of merit or something), and then leave it in the back of their shelves to rot. Its minimally about the music, and that I just find wasteful.

However, it is fully possible that the two people in the world who actually love CVL's music in itself so much that they would listen to a CD of it often are in this thread already, so let's petition Konami and get that CD made, people!

I guess I'm the fool for starting this thread in the first place. The point of it was to ask you what unreleased soundtracks you positively adore so much that buying them if they were to become available was a no-brainer, and that you would actually listen to the shit often with passion, it wasn't about lukewarm picks that would be stored as trophies because they're "kinda fun" to own. If the former description fits XLord007's feelings for the CVL soundtrack, then I admit it was wrong of me to comment on it.

Not sure if you're aware, but last I checked, Sucker Punch's site had the Sly 3 OST on sale for, like, five bucks.

http://store.suckerpunch.com/index.asp? … &ProdID=23

Holy shit. Holy. Shit.

...

...

HOLY. SHIT.

You have no idea how... f---. Dammit. Shit! Wow. If you weren't all the way up in Canada I would drive to your house and tacklehug the shit out of you right now. I don't think I've said shit enough in this post, so, shit!

Was there any new music in Legacy of Darkness?

-Joshua